Automobile lamp attachment.



A. G. THOMSON. AUTOMOBILE LAMP ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED D120. 8,190a.

Patented Au 13, 1912.

W |TNESSES.

ms- ATTORNEY U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I ARTHUR GALE THOMSON, OF SANFRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMOBILE LAMP ATTACHMENT.

useful Improvements in Automobile Lamp.

Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a connection or attachment for automobile lampswhereby the lamp or lamps will be turned in unison with the frontsteering wheels so that the rays of the lamp or lamps will be east alongthe road in the actual dirctionof travel.

Automobile lamps are generally mounted rigidly on the machine frame andalways cast their rays in a line substantially parallel with the vehiclebody. The result is that in traveling over a crooked road, or.

in turning from side to side-in traveling along the road, obstructionsand embankments are frequently not seen untilit is too late for thedriver to correct or check his course and so prevent an accident.

My object is to so mounta lamp that it will turnJlirom side to sidesynchronously with the movements of the steering wheels, so that adriver can always see exactly what is ahead of him in the immediatedirection of travel.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combinationof parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, havingreference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aportional perspective view of an automobile fitted with the attachment.Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view: Fig. 3 is a detail of the steeringgear. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a lamp. Fig. 5 is a detail in planshowing the extendible connection between the lamps' In the embodimentof my invention the lamps, which are represented at A, are

= adapted to be carried on the lamp brackets 52 which are mounted on theposts 3. Each pair of posts 3 is secured to a turn-table plate i whichis adapted to turn about a fixed vertical pivot 4 supported on the baseplate 4, which latter is secured in any suitable manner to the body ofthe machine. Preferably anti-friction balls 4 are interposed between theturn-tableplate 4:, and the base plate 4. Where two lamps are used oniamachine, as is customary, they are connected across, to turn in unison,by the arms Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13,1912.

Application filed December 8, 1908. Serial No. 466,447.

5 on therespective plates 4 and the adjust able connecting links 6. Theturn-table construction here shown and described, and

the supporting of a lamp on a turn-table by the standards orposts 3,provide a substantial support for the lamps, such as is essential in anattachment of this character.

- Secured to one of the turn-table plates 4* ista crank arm 7 connectedby an adjustable,

extendible link 8 to the crank arm 9, which latter is clamped orotherwise detachably secured to the crank 10; the crank 10 being securedto the usual worm shaft 11 operated from the steering wheel, and crank10 connecting at its lower end with the steering rod 12 which extends tothe steering knuckle of the wheel. The cranks 9. -10 project in oppositedirections, so that as one rocks forward the other rocks back, causingthe lamp and wheels to turn always-in the same direction. Thus, when thesteerin wheel 14 is turned so as to throw the cranli 1O forward, as inturning t-hcvehicle to the right, the upper opposed'larm 9 is thrownbackward, pulling the lamp around to the right also, so that its rayswill generally extend at all times parai el with the plane of thevehicle wheel.

The connecting rod 8 is preferably made in two sections and slotted andbolted together, as shown at 15, to adapt the device to machines ofdifferent types. Theconnectiori of the rod 8 with the levers 9 and 7 ispreferably of the ball and socket variety, as shown, whereby the lampsare enabled to adjust themselves to the up and down movements of thebody with respect to the the turn-table plate"is turnable, said baseplate being secured to the vehicle, anti-friction rollers interposedbetween the turntable plate and the base plate, an arm fixed to theturn-table plate, and connections be tween the arm and the steering gearfor turning the lamp sidewise in unison with {the turning of said sfiring wheels.

1 2. In an automeis, the combination with the body and front steeringwheel thereof, and steering mechanism for perating the steering wheels,of apair of lan1ps,-.

aturn-table plate for each of said lamps, a

said connections permitting the lamps to be adjustable to each othersothat they casttheir rays more or less nearly parallel, andconnectionsbetween the lamps and the steer: mechanism for turning the lamps inunison with the steering-wheels.

'3. In an automobile, the combination with the body, steering mechanism,and the steering wheels of the vehicle, of a base plate on the vehicle,a turn-table plate,

said baseplate having a vertical piirot on which the turn-table plate ismounted, antifriction rollers between the base plate and turntablcplate, a lamp carried by the turntable plate, said steering mechanismincludsteering wheels, and connect-ions between the turn-table plate andthe crank member of the steering mechanism for turning the lamp sidewisein unison with thesteering wheel.

In testimony 'where0f I have hereuntu set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit- I Copies of this patent may be obtained fonflve centseach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

I Washington, D. G.

'ing a crank member connected with the

